Glassboro and Camden are locked in a tight battle at the state Group 1 meet, with Hasbrouck Heights still within range.
After Day 1 at Somerset, Glassboro leads Camden, 31 ½-30, and Hasbrouck Heights has 24 points.
Camden got an early win in the 400-meter relay, with juniors Christian Braxton, Jaiden Steele, Chase Robinson and Wasi Muhammad running 42.50. Glassboro was 4th in 42.94, with sophomore Adekunle Adeleye, sophomore Ta’sheem Butler, junior Amari Sabb and sophomore Xavier Sabb. Camden won the Group 2 state title last year in the 4-by-1 with four underclassmen but only Steele remaining from that lineup.
Camden also got a win from Steele in the 100 with a wind-legal 10.86. Glassboro picked up six points in the 100 with Xavier Sabb’s 3rd-place in 10.96.
Glassboro and Camden both scored in the long jump, Adeleye taking 2nd at 21-11
and Muhammad 3rd with a 21-4 ¾. Camden’s Robinson ran 55.06 for 4th place in the intermediate hurdles.
Glassboro freshman Joseph Saicic took 2nd in the 3,200 with a 9:39.38 and the Bulldogs went 4-5 in the high jump with Xavier Sabb clearing 6-2 and Amari Sabb 6-0.
There are finals on Saturday in the 200, 400, 1,600, high hurdles, 4-by-4 and 4-by-8, discus, triple jump and pole vault.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 